Ministers burying their heads in sand over ballooning benefits bill, say Tories

Ministers have been accused of “burying their heads in the sand” over Scotland’s “ballooning benefits bill”.

The Scottish Tories will accuse the Government in Parliament of being “in denial” about how to close a £2 billion funding gap identified by Audit Scotland.

The figure represents the forecast total difference between Scottish welfare spending and the funding allocated via the block grant by 2030.

The Tories will lead a debate at Holyrood on Wednesday urging MSPs to tackle the “crisis” in Scotland’s welfare system, the cost of which is set to continue to rise.

Alexander Stewart, the party’s social security spokesman, urged the Government to tackle poverty by growing the economy, rather than increasing welfare spending.

He said ahead of the debate: “Scotland’s finances are in crisis because of a ballooning and unsustainable benefits bill under the SNP.

“Audit Scotland laid bare a £2 billion black hole in social security spending, yet nationalist ministers are in denial.

“They are burying their heads in the sand. They think they can just keep raising taxes on hardworking Scots to fund their excessive spending.

“It defies belief that when welfare spending has already spiralled out of control, both Labour and the SNP are increasing the black hole by ending the two-child cap.

“It’s reckless and unaffordable, yet the left-wing parties are unwilling or unable to accept this basic reality.

“The Scottish Conservatives recognise that the best way to lift people out of poverty is by growing our economy and creating jobs.”

Social Justice Secretary Shirley-Anne Somerville said: “Those calling for cuts in Scottish social security spending must spell out which groups of people they would remove help from.

“The Scottish Government’s investment in social security is a conscious decision to help tackle child poverty and provide essential support for disabled people and carers as well as help with heating bills for older people.

“This investment is possible in part because we balance our budget every year, despite over a decade of austerity and punitive welfare cuts from successive UK governments.”

She added: “The Scottish Government will unapologetically continue to prioritise measures to reduce poverty and inequality, including through policies like the landmark Scottish child payment, which a wide range of charities have called on the UK Government to replicate.”